The once ubiquitous fish-shaped pastry, a beloved street snack, is disappearing from the streets. An increasing number of street vendors are finding it difficult to continue their business due to rising raw material prices, as well as the burden of crackdowns and complaints.

Rising raw material costs and crackdowns make business difficult
Only 3 out of 15 street vendors found through the app are operating

On the afternoon of November 6, a search for fish-shaped pastry street vendors in the Gangbuk, Dobong, Seongbuk, and Jung districts of Seoul using an app that provides their locations found that only 3 out of 15 vendors were operating. Most had disappeared, with some leaving no trace at all. Even the crowdsourced 'Fish-Shaped Pastry Map' app cannot keep up with the rapidly declining number of street vendors.

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Even among the few remaining vendors, changes were evident. The price of fish-shaped pastries has risen noticeably compared to previous years, now costing around 1,500 to 2,000 won for two. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation's 'Simple Price Information,' as of November 3, the price of domestic red beans was 13,893 won per 500 grams, a 34.9% increase compared to the same period last year. Flour prices also remain high after a significant increase in 2022 due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Vendor A (in their 60s) said, "Flour and red bean prices have gone up so much these days that I had no other choice but to raise prices. Customers often say, 'Even fish-shaped pastries have become a luxury.' I might stop selling after this winter."

Domestic red bean prices rose 34.9% compared to the same period last year
Flour prices have also remained high since rising in 2022

Not only prices, but also crackdowns and complaints are making it difficult to run a street vendor business. A vendor who used to sell vegetables near a now-closed fish-shaped pastry stall said, "These days, because of worries about crackdowns or complaints, many vendors pack up their stalls as soon as they finish selling." Vendor B (age 68) added, "Sometimes, even legal vendors selling similar snacks file complaints. The fines for unlicensed street vending are a heavy burden, making it increasingly difficult to continue." According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of street vendors in Seoul decreased by 22% over four years, from 6,079 in 2020 to 4,741 last year.

Around 1,500 to 2,000 won for two
"Flour and red bean prices have risen too much"
Number of street vendors in Seoul decreased by 22% over four years

As fish-shaped pastry vendors become rare, posts asking "Does anyone know where to buy fish-shaped pastries?" are appearing frequently on local online communities for mothers. Jang (age 34), who lives in Gangbuk District, Seoul, said, "I can hardly find fish-shaped pastry vendors on the street anymore, so I order them through online communities. It's a shame that the warm, nostalgic taste of fish-shaped pastries is disappearing."